Cyrus



NO. 446,385. Patented Feb. 10,1891.

BIE- il I 'www n 351,1 @Hoznmt ilNrrnn "Sfr-ares Farnwr JOHN JORDAN ANDJAMES E. ELLER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA; SAID ELLER ASSIGNOR TO IVILLIAM MCGINNIS, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,385, dated February 10, 1891.

Application led December 17, 1890. Serial No. 375.031. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. J ORDAN and JAMES E. ELLER, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Steps; and we do 'hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which like letters refer to like parts.

Our invention relates to the construction of folding steps or ladders, and will be undertood from the following description.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective view of our device attached to a car- Qplatform. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the lower ,.sectlon of the steps being folded back. Fig. 3 1s a similar view of the parts open in line.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on the opposite side of Fig. 3, showing the arrangement of the locking-latch on that side.

In detail our device consists `of an upper section l, having lower section 2, connected by hinges 3, the lower section adapted to be folded up behind or dropped down in line with the upper section in, the manner hereinafter described. Steps are connected to the side pieces in the usual manner. A lever is pivoted at 5 to one side of the frame and is provided with a pin 6, which works in a slot 7, formed in a curved brace S, which is pivoted at 9 to an auxiliary lever IO, having a slot Il, and a pin 12 passes through this slot into the side of the lower section 2 of the frame.

13 is a curved brace pivoted at lat to the piece IO, and at the opposite end at 15 to the lever et.

16 is a spring-plate provided with a handle 17 and beneath with a locking-pin 1S, which` enters a hole 24 in the lever LI. The slot 1l in the piece lO has an offset at its upper end to permit the lateral movement of the lever l0 beneath the head of the pin 12. The sides of the steps are connected by a rod I9, which passes through them, and its ends are squared, one to enter the inner side of the slotted plate lO at 19 and the other entering at 2O the plate 2l on the opposite side. This plate has an offsetted slot 22, through which passes a pin 23, so that the movement of the lever I on the one sideis transferred through the rod I9 to the plate 2l on the opposite side, and a similar movement of this plate with regard to the pin 23 takes place, so that the parts will lock on both sides by one and the same movement.

The 4lever I is intended to control the folding mechanism, and the operator taking hold of its handle pulls it over until it takes the position shown in Fig; 2, and the lower section 2 is folded behind and under the upper section l in the manner shown, and if the device be applied to a car, as shown in Figs. l and 3, when the train stops at an ordinary platform the lower foldable section 2 of the steps will not be needed and Will remain drawn up behind, as shown in Fig. 25 but if the car should stop beyond the platform, making the step down too great, the operator takes hold of the handle of the lever 4, pulls it up, and this throws the lower section 2 out in the position sho-wn in Fig. l, makingan additional step for the foot of the passenger.

Then the parts are in the position shown in Figs. l and 3, the curved braces 8 and 13 operate as locking-braces, and the more pressure that is put upon the step the tighter the device is locked in place. rlhe offsets of the slots ll and l2 allow a relative movement of the locking-pins l2 and 23 in these offsets. IVe say relative because these pins themselves do not move; but the braces do, so that the pins are thrown to one side and atan angle to the main part of the slot, and this locks the parts in position.

Our device is easily constructed and applied and is entirely controlled by a single lever. It is adapted for car-platforms, steps, and ladders of various kinds.

Tha-t we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. A folding step or ladder comprising two tubular sections hinged together in the rear,

a lever pivoted to the upper section, a corre- 95 sponding lever slotted at its lower end and adapted to move beneath a pin connected to curved links pivoted to each, whereby the movement of the upperlever operates to fold roc or open the sections, the-curved linlts acting as braces to lock the parts when opened in line, substantially as shown and described.

2. A folding step comprising two similar sections hinged together in the rear, a lever pivoted to the upper section, a similar lever provided with a slot having` a locking-offset at the top and adapted to move along the line of its slot beneath aheaded pin in the lower section, curved braces pivoted to and connecting such levers above and below, and alockingplate connected to the upper curved brace, having a spring-pin for entering a notch in the upper lever, the sides of the step-frame connected by a rod passing through thern, its

squared ends entering an opening on one side in the lower brace and on the opposite side in a lock-plateprovided with a similar oiset or slot, whereby the action of the lever is transmitted through the frame to lock the lower section of the steps on both sides simultaneously, substantially as shown and de scribed.

A folding step comprising an operatinglever pivoted to the uppersection, a si1nilarlever slotted at its lower end to move beneath the head of a pin driven into the lower section, the upper and lower levers connected by curved braces, a rod passing through the sides of the upper section behind the hinge, its end squared to prevent its independent revolution, a lock-plate on the opposite side of the frame connected to such rod and provided with a slot for traversing` a pin driven into the lower section, and offsets provided in the slots of such plate and of the opposite lever, whereby the movement ot' the upper lever operates to" lock both sides of the `device when the lower section is let down, all combined substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 9th day of December, 1890.

JOHN S. JORDAN.

JAMES E. ELLER.

lVitnesses:

C. P. JACOBS, R. S. TURRELL.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 446,385, granted February 10, 1891,

upon the application of John S. Jordan and James E. Eller, of Indianapolis, Indiana,

for an improvement in Folding-Steps, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction, as follows: In line 94, page 1, the Word tubular should read ysimilowA and that the Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that he same may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Office.

Signed, oountersigned, and sealed this 17th day of March, A. D. 1891.

CYRUS BUSSEY,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Countersigned G. E. MITCHELL,

Commissioner of Patents. 

